I watched a debate hosted on TV by Barkha Dutt, a popular Indian News journalist and Managing Editor, NDTV. Barkha is known for her brave and spunky reporting, and I had admired at her guts as she covered the dangerous Kargil situation a few years ago.
The topic of the debate was as hot as the torch that it represents. Should Indians boycott carrying the torch for the upcoming Olympics in China? Reason: China's ongoing aggressive stance over Tibet as the country fights for independence.
Barkha's guests ranged from regal representatives, sportspersons, Buddhists, and police force. Even Imran Khan, the Pakistani cricketer was invited to voice his opinion.
Well, the outcome was a lukewarm (veiled?) empathy to a burning Tibet. Some commented that Apartheid was a stronger issue that could ever justify boycotting the Olympics. Others shrugged saying that politics and sports must never be mixed. Some said the world should have taken a stand of disapproval to China's even before China was given the nod for hosting the Olympics this year. Still others said that if they had been asked to run bearing the Olympic torch, they would have done so wearing a black band to mark their protest.
Fine. These are all opinions, but isn't the major driving force for any serious stand usually dictated by global economy? A country's political clout? Its social status? A crafty combination of the three?
Nobody's talking of Human Rights here.
Such simmering issues do not get resolved easily, or quickly.
But a peaceful, yet dynamic, calm yet strong voice of protest world over would become more and more difficult to ignore.
Be it the voice of one's own conscience, or the passionate voice of a journalist to brings an issue to the fore, or the voice of the man crying out on street.
It's really the collective voice that should work. Eventually.
Pictures taken from the Web
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